TransLink initiative garners industry honor

October 21, 2010

“It’s Your Move” recognized for innovation in consultation

A board game developed to engage the public on the challenges of regional transportation planning is being recognized by the worldwide organization that enables public involvement. The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) has awarded its 2010 Core Values Award for Innovation to “It’s Your Move”.

The game, conceived by Amelia Shaw, TransLink’s Manager of Public Consultation and Government Programs, presented “players” with the real-life challenges faced by TransLink: meeting the regional transportation needs and reconciling those with available funding. Cards representing various transportation options were assigned point values, as were cards representing funding levels and revenue streams. The object was to make the points totals balance.

“It’s Your Move” was used throughout the intense public consultation sessions in spring of 2009, as TransLink developed its 2010 10-Year Plan. Games results and comments from players were integrated into the development of the plan, and brought a clear message from participants that they desired more transportation services and were willing to pay for them.

“Engaging the people we serve is a vital part of our planning process,” says TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis, “and after playing ’It’s Your Move’, people would come up to us and say, ‘I had no idea of the amount of issues and tradeoff that are required to plan and fund the transportation system.’ The game helped bridge the gap.”

“TransLink’s entry in the Core Values Awards very clearly showed how public participation can be used to address complex problems,” said Geoff Wilson, co-chair of the IAP2 Judging Panel. “The judges particularly liked the use of the game as an effective education and engagement tool. Overall, we felt this was an excellent example of best-practice in public participation.”

The Award is being announced Oct. 21 at the IAP2 Core Values Awards ceremony in Scarborough, UK. Amelia Shaw cannot be there to accept it in person, as she is facilitating TransLink’s current public consultation sessions on the 2011 Funding Supplement and the Surrey Rapid Transit Study, as well as the third and final Transportation Fair, Oct. 23 at the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre in Surrey.